A COMPETITIVE second-half effort has seen Melbourne go down to Hawthorn by 56 points in their round-one match at the MCG on Saturday.
Eager to make amends for 2009, the Hawks wasted no time as they belted the Demons 17.15 (117) to 8.13 (61).
The game was effectively over by the first change as Hawthorn kept Melbourne goalless while slamming on six of its own.
A 36-point lead at quarter time ballooned to 56 at the main break, and stayed as the final margin.
The Hawks increased their lead to as much as 13 goals in the third term before the Demons salvaged some pride by winning the final quarter, however the day was a big letdown for them.
Both sides were missing several senior players and the Demons could have been fancied for an upset.
But they didn't kick their first goal until the 18th minute of the second term through ruckman Mark Jamar.
By that point the horse had not only well and truly bolted, but midfielder Brad Green had been stretchered from the field.
He had bravely gone in for a loose ball in the first term but arrived a split-second late, leaving his head and neck to collide with a Hawk defender's hip.
While Green would later return - and become one of the Demons' better players - his efforts weren't enough to inspire them.
The Hawks, meanwhile, had loads of winners.
Midfielders Luke Hodge (34 disposals) and Jordan Lewis (27) were prolific while the return of running defender Rick Ladson (21) was another plus.
In attack, Jarryd Roughead - the Hawks' main target given Lance Franklin's carried-over suspension from last season - booted three goals but probably should have had six.
The pressure applied by Hawthorn was relentless and Melbourne was simply unable to cope, with turnovers playing a major role in its demise.
It was best displayed inside the Hawks' forward 50, where Campbell Brown and new recruit Rhan Hooper turned up the heat.
"It's been a job that Cyril (Rioli) has had for so much of his first two years and with him out of the line-up, it was a little bit of a concern," coach Alastair Clarkson said after the match.
"But Rhan and Browny up forward proved what value forward-line pressure can be … it really assisted us to get some turnovers and create some easy goals."
The match was also the occasion for Melbourne to unveil top draft picks Tom Scully and Jack Trengove.
While they each had some impact on the game, the most eye-catching display belonged to a Hawthorn debutant.
Carl Peterson was in everything in the first half, winning the contested football, disposing of it well and kicking a neat running goal.
A bump around half time restricted his output from there, but Clarkson was still very pleased.
"We've unearthed a guy who could play a lot of footy for us, we believe," he said.
The Hawks' only concern came when Brent Renouf left the field late in the match, although Clarkson said he was wary of protecting his ruckman with his workload and lack of support in coming weeks.
Melbourne coach Dean Bailey, however, has plenty to consider ahead of the Demons' round-two clash with Collingwood.
"I'm not going to sit here and say, 'That's the way it is'," he said.
"We expect to improve - there's no question about it. We expect to be more competitive than what we were today."
The Hawks will face a sterner test on Easter Monday when they square off with Geelong.
Melbourne 0.3 1.6 4.9 8.13 (61)
Hawthorn 6.3 10.8 15.14 17.15 (117)
GOALS
Melbourne: Green 2, Petterd 2, Jamar, Miller, Miller, McKenzie
Hawthorn: Brown 3, Roughead 3, Moss 2, Osborne 2, Hooper 2, Hodge, Ladson, Morton, Mitchell, Peterson
BEST
Melbourne: Bruce, Moloney, Trengove, Jamar, Green, Scully
Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, Birchall, Ladson, Mitchell. Gibson, Roughead
INJURIES
Melbourne: Green (neck), Rivers (ribs)
Hawthorn: Renouf (groin)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McLaren, Stewart, Kamolins
Official crowd: 45,615 at the MCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
